


Desperate

by painfulprose



Category: Wander Over Yonder
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lord Wander (Wander Over Yonder), Blood, Gen, One Shot, Role Reversal, Torture, Wander Over Yonder Role Swap AU, Wander over Yonder - Freeform, but dark and kinda rushed is kinda my thing, chapter 7 of Never Ending Night is coming soon, i had an idea and this was it, i know it's dark and kinda rushed, let me know what you think!, this was just a side project for fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 21:49:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10885596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/painfulprose/pseuds/painfulprose
Summary: Lord Dominator (Wander) is paying a visit to a galaxy very dear to his heart, but he can't seem to find any actual joy in destroying the old memories. So, naturally, he consults an old friend for advice on these difficult feelings.Lord Wander Role Reversal AU





	Desperate

Forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty...

Staring at the glowing walls of the ship was beginning to get tiresome. He couldn't even remember how long he's been counting for, and he's not even at one hundred yet. 

Sixty, sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four...

This is what happens on a slow day. Absolutely nothing. The energy inside of this certain tyrannical conqueror was getting to be too much. So much on his little agenda yet no means of actually getting anything done. 

Sixty-five, sixty-six, sixty-seven, sixty-eight... 

Narrowing his eyes, he grimaced and let out a long groan, sliding ever further into his throne and letting his head fall backwards to further emphasize his displeasure. 

Isn't counting supposed to make time go _faster?_

"Uuuuuuggghh.... Bot Thirteen!" he thundered, lazily letting his arm droop down to the platform he sat upon.

He didn't even bother to sit or look up when he heard the familiar whirring of his go-to robot. What good is an evil conqueror who can't _conquer_ anything?! 

"Puh- _lease_ tell me you've found somethin' good, already!" 

Barely turning his head to the side, Dominator could barely make out what looked to be the image of a small blue planet being projected towards him. 

"Planet 428, population 0- Volcanium X detected," Bot Thirteen droned, seemingly proud of that miserable little thing it managed to scrounge up; most likely on the outskirts of this galaxy. 

"... I really hope you're jokin', Bot Thirteen, because you are my _MAN!_ I'd _really_ hate to have 'ta throw you out an' find someone else with a better sense of humor." 

Bot Thirteen hesitated a moment from the harsh words. After about fifteen seconds of 'processing' coming from the little thing, it almost reluctantly showed another image- this time of a medium sized green planet with purple swirls. 

"Planet Plumaria, population 100- Volcanium X detected." 

Dominator raised an eyebrow at his little bot. While this planet was obviously a _much_ better improvement from the last one presented to him, the amount of Volcanium X was lackluster at best and didn't interest him in the least. 

"Nuh-uh." 

"P-Planet-" He didn't even need the little bot to finish with relaying its findings. One quick look was all he needed to know his answer. 

"Laaame." 

"... P-" 

"Boring." 

"... Lord Dominator, might I suggest-" 

"NO YOU MAY NOT!" he shot back, sitting up in his throne and glaring down at the irritating little machine before him. "Forget it! I don't need 'ta find a planet to destroy 'ta have fun, Bot Thirteen!" 

Bot Thirteen didn't say anything, and it didn't have to. More than once have his bots recommended that he go off and destroy a new galaxy. More than once has been requested to 'think small' when he's asked for solutions to his ever growing boredom. 

What is their _deal?!_ Why can't a guy just stick around in a dying galaxy a little longer and have some fun? 

This isn't the first day that he's just lounged around and done nothing, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last if he didn't get off of his rump and do something about it. 

Call him impatient, reckless, irrational, or whatever else. He hasn't finished up with this stupid galaxy. _HE'S_ the only one who can call the shots on finding some other place to wreck. NOT those bots.

Standing up, he let out a disappointed sigh and hopped down the stairs. Landing squarely on his feet, he even kicked the bot aside before trudging on into the depths of his ship, muttering profanities beneath his breath. 

It sure didn't take long for this former wandering do-gooder to get all upset and moody. Perhaps it was the aching stillness of, not just the ship, but the galaxy? 

Perhaps it was the fact that he spent all of his time talking to literal robots that had no actual minds of their own?

Pausing in his steps, Dominator couldn't help but to stare down the long hallway he built. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he felt lost. 

Everything felt like it was moving much too fast. Go there, destroy this, kill them, torture him, go to the next place. 

Where's the _excitement_ he used to feel when he first started out? 

It's almost like coming back to _this_ Grop-forsaken galaxy just screwed over his entire system. Heck, it's not like he WANTED to come here! Not really.

This would've just been one little pit-stop in the grand scheme of things, but nooooo. He had to go and run head first into something he could still barely swallow. 

Trembling, the angsty wandering weirdo kicked the nearby wall, grunting beneath his breath. He was getting beyond worked up just thinking about all of this. 

All of this _damn_ trouble just for that stupid little Zbornak! . . .

Speaking of...

Where _is_ that useless little horse...? 

 

His own loud footsteps were all that could be heard initially in the lower levels of his ship. He came down here so rarely. There was never any need to go palling around with corpses, anyway. 

The soft lighting of the lava flowing through the walls added some nice contrast to the place. It was something he would have stopped to admire once upon a time. Now, it was just another awful reminder that everything's gone by too fast. 

Everything is changing, and he's not sure he likes it. 

Running a hand through his hair, Dominator sighed through his teeth, finally stopping outside of one of the random cell entrances. 

To anyone else, the place would just seem like one big dead end. There were no walls that anyone could see, and most certainly no windows. Though, to Dominator, that just proved how dumb and gullible people are becoming nowadays. 

... Oh, oops. He accidentally mentally complimented the people from the past. Haha, yeah, as if. No one knows anything better than him, obviously. 

Flicking his hand, he merely watched as the tar-like wall parted. For a few very brief, and very foolish moments, he considered turning right back around and walking back up the way he came. 

He considered just making some coffee and settling in for an afternoon nap. Taking a 'me day' didn't sound too bad- even if the past few days have mostly been 'me days'. 

Right now, anything felt better than having to confront the reason for his spiraling insanity. At least, it _felt_ like insanity. 

Rather unintentionally, Dom felt himself freeze up at seeing slight movement inside of the cell. The breath caught in his throat. His hands curled inwards. He felt sweat form on his forehead. 

A hard expression finding its way onto his face to mask the previous nervous one, he took a deep breath and stepped into the dark room. 

The sight before him was both a bittersweet and pathetic one. He'd been hoping to just shut her up and lock her away as soon as possible. 

Old memories need to be purged. They're nothing but toxic, and toxic memories could most definitely lead to fatal thoughts. He didn't need fatal thoughts working against the destruction he's been so desperately trying to spread. 

It all just needs to burn. 

_She needs to burn._

"... Wander...?" a soft robotic voice asked, echoing in the empty room. 

"Ggh!?" The familiar sound had him flinching away from the vile creature he now faced. It had effectively gotten him off guard and had him nearly collapsing from the fright. 

He hadn't been expecting to hear _her_ voice again. 

Not now. 

_Not ever._

Terrified eyes could only stare vacantly at the bruised and starved Zbornak sprawled out on the floor. She spoke not from her mouth- for someone had horribly mutilated and painstakingly stitched her lips together. 

That 'someone' now could hardly bare the sight of his work. 

No. Rather than using her actual voice, she was using some kind of communicator still wrapped firmly around her neck. 

Dominator felt himself get increasingly more annoyed by the minute. 

He put that there. He was just remembering it now, but _he_ was the cause of his current further suffering. 

Though he remembered the source of the device, he couldn't for the life of him figure out the _reason_ for it. 

_Why did he EVER think that was a good idea...?!_

Sylvia stared right back up at him with those empty eyes of hers. She looked dull and lifeless.

He'd prefer her dull and lifeless. 

Why can't she just be dull and lifeless? 

"S-Sylvia," he replied, trying his hardest to not let his voice crack. 

"... What are you doing here, Wander-" 

" _Don't,_ " he interrupted, holding a hand up and looking away from her disgusting face, "call me that. Hehe, that's not _ME_ anymore, Syl'. I'm a changed man." 

Sylvia looked him up and down at that. Shrugging her shoulders without much care, she turned her head away from him and laid back down on the floor like the sorry sack of garbage she is. 

"You're right. It's _not_ you. Honest mistake." 

"Aww, Syl', that sounds like sarcasm! Don't be such a Sassy Sally! You're really crampin' the mood." 

When he didn't get any form of response from Sylvia, his sardonic smile fell. 

"... Hey. Hey. _Heeeeyy. Syyyylviaaa... You're so boooorrriiiinggg-_ " 

"Stop stalling and cut to the chase," she snapped back, not even letting Dominator finish his drawn out complaint. "You never come around just to have a chat anymore."

Dom pulled back from his former friend and brought a hand to his chest, feigning hurt from that comment. 

"Why, I never! I don't even- I can't- Sylvia! How. Could you. Accuse _me._ Of ignoring you? My bestest fwiiieeend! And... whatever silly nonsense I used 'ta say. Do 'ya feel at home enough yet, 'ya pansy?" 

The glare that was thrown his way chilled Dominator to the bone. Luckily, he had his own glare up his sleeve. 

Fine. If Sylvia didn't wanna have some fun, then he'd just own up to the reason he came down here in the first place. 

"... Jeeze. You wound me, Zbornak. _You wound me._ " 

"If that were true, I wouldn't be staring at your ugly mug right now."

"Oh, hardy har, Syl'! You had yourself a big ol' chuckle, hope you're happy, but I got a question for 'ya. Answer me honestly, and I'll let 'ya get back to rottin' to death down here and... I dunno, thinking about writing your will?" 

Once again, Dominator didn't receive an answer from the half-dead Zbornak. It was really starting to get on his nerves, and it showed just in his body language. 

Kneeling down to his old friend, he breezed through his fake formalities but kept that happy-go-lucky smile on his face. 

"So! As you may, or may not, know, I decided to stop by your most favorite place in the world! Can 'ya guess what that is?!" he asked rather enthusiastically, getting up close and personal to the foul creature. 

To no one's surprise, he didn't get a response. Grinding his teeth together, that happy facade wavered before finally shattering. 

"... The galaxy where we first _met._ And, y'know, the galaxy where we shared our best memories? The galaxy where we sang Kumbaya and had all of our best adventures? ... Ring any _bells?_ " 

"... You came all this way down here just to let me know that you're destroying this particular galaxy out of a billion of them, why?" came the dry, empty robotic voice of his old pal. 

" _Because,_ I wanna know just what's so... _different_ about this place." 

Upon hearing the vague answer from Dominator, Sylvia let out a little snort and lifted her head back up to give the tyrannical sociopath a questioning look. 

"... What do you mean 'different'?" 

"L-Like! Y'know! This dumb galaxy is makin' everything so... so... WEIRD!" Dom exclaimed, standing back up and sharply turning away from Sylvia to face the wall. "I'm not _done_ with this place, but I..." 

Trailing off, Dominator roughly shook his head. Why was it so hard to put what he was feeling into words?! 

Ever since he came back to this stupid galaxy it's like everything's been backwards. Normally he's able to just go out and do his thing with little to no problems. But _here?_

It had been an unusually long process, but he'd forced himself to destroy nearly every planet he could find. ... Well, every planet that had enough Volcanium X to spare. 

... THAT! That, right there!

Since when is he so _picky_ when he's bored? 

"Oh," that grating voice pitched in, somehow sounding less enthusiastic than before. "Don't tell me. You're feeling _bad_ about all of this? _Now?_ " 

" _I don't feel bad about ANYTHING!_ " he shouted, turning back around to properly scold the Zbornak for doing the one thing she SHOULDN'T be able to do. "I-It's- It's not _that!_ J-Just... Just SHUT. _UP!_ " 

Sylvia raised an eyebrow, not even affected by his yelling. 

"Says the person who sewed my mouth shut but gave me a communicator anyway. That really says something about your mental state, huh? Even your insane priorities are screwed up. You don't even know why you came down here in the first place, do you?" 

"Sh-Shut up! Just stop talking...!" 

"That's what I thought. ... Look. Wander-" 

" _THAT'S NOT MY NAME!_ " Dominator practically exploded, taking a step forward and kicking Sylvia square in the jaw. He heard something crack, but all he knew was that it felt good. 

He wanted to hear it again. 

"That's not my name! It was never my name! It will never _BE_ my name! I'm _Dominator!_ Dominator, Dominator, _DOMINATOR!_ And don't you EVER forget it!" 

Kick after kick was sent Sylvia's way. He wanted her bones to break. He wanted to grind her into a bloody, fleshy pulp. 

He just wanted her out of his sight. 

How he was feeling didn't matter anymore. Since he was unable to even formulate what he was thinking, that just proves that he's being stupid. 

All of this is just in his head, and when he gets back into the swing of things, the boredom, the emptiness, the hesitation- it'll all be gone. 

It'll all be gone and he'll stop being so... So.... 

". . . Y-You're d-desperate..." a broken voice choked out. 

Those brutal motions towards the limp body were stopped. The only thing he could hear for a long while was his own harsh breaths. Rising hysteria does a number on your body- as he was just now beginning to find out. 

Bloodshot eyes wide, he openly gaped at the ugly mass of purple, red, and blue at his feet. Even though she barely looked anything like the Zbornak he'd once knew, that voice still persisted. 

Broken and distant and absolutely his fault, it persisted. 

"Y-You're d-desper-ate... A-And you don't even kn-know i-it..." 

"Shut up." 

Great. Now even _he_ was beginning to sound dull and lifeless. 

"H-Hehe... Hahahaha-" 

The deranged laughter was cut short as he reached down and used all of his might to tear that good-for-nothing device off of her neck. 

The loud _SNAP!_ was satisfying, but it seems that not even removing her source of verbal communication was enough to stop her voice from haunting him.

Even now, while the room was silent, he could still hear her haunting laughter echo off of the walls. They hit the walls and ricocheted right back at him.

Each wave of robotically generated joy hit him like a bullet. It was too much for him to handle. 

Crushing the device beneath his heel, he turned and made his way for the exit. There were much better ways to spend his day, anyway. Who needs _her?_

"Stay down here. See if _I_ care. Didn't even need your worthless input anyway, 'ya mooch. Nighty night~!" 

Trying to sound carefree and upbeat while still distressed and out of breath, he gave Sylvia a wave without looking back. Stepping through the makeshift door, he never once turned back. 

Moving forward was a lesson everyone would need to learn at some point. He was just a slow learner, apparently.


End file.
